thank you so much for this! I just traveled SE Asia for a year and came back to the USA and the situation here is looking pretty bleak. I just bought my TEFL course and China has been at the top of my list since I didn't make it during my travels. THis really gives me hope as a backup option and something to strive towards =D
Really appreciate the passion and the information here. After 3 years in corporate, a move from the US to the U.K, and a dynamic shift, I’ll be moving to China to teach as well! I worked with kids for a few years in my college and high school days and I’ve always known my passion is in that field. Ready to be that WWE star again like I was in ski instructing. Just letting kids learn and have a good time! Thanks so much
Hi, just found your Video and what you said in this video was word for word me back in 2015 when i went to work at a (huge) Private Kindergarten in Shunde - near Foshun in Guangzhou. At that time i was only on 11,000 RMB and was sending most of my money home to save my bills sadly -but still had a great life in China. I have a bachelor of Education and ESOL cert and at that time 10 years teaching. im still in touch with a few of my foreign teacher friends from there and my only wish was i got more money like what you are getting now - then i migh have stayed longer. I loved my time in China. oh im from New Zealand.
@collyslifeadventureinchina Too bad, as a Canadian living in Canada now, if you come back to teach then you must embrace those crazy gender ideologies being propagated by the Left now.
Thanks for the info! So if I'm understanding it correctly, would you say the average kindy teacher job in China has about 5-6 weeks off per year (new year and summer combined)?
The word average isn't a good one to use. If you are at a private kindergarten, then probably 2-3 weeks for CNY and 2-3 weeks for Summer. You also get all the national Chinese holidays. You get full pay for national holidays, and for other days off, it's usually a percentage. CNY is full for me, but summer is 60% of my salary if I remember correctly. So schools also get a week or two at Christmas. Now, if you are at an international school, you get a ton more time off, usually 1 month at CNY and 1-2 months during summer, plus 1-2 weeks at Christmas and all Chinese holidays.
My girlfriend and I are going to earn our Bachelors degrees and our TEFL just some months from now and we plan to come teach in China. I’m from the US and she is from the UK. We are excited but also a bit daunted and I know that salaries are down a bit after Covid, but do you think us having a combined income will help significantly? Not sure if it’s going to even out or not. My math says we’ll be living great but I’m doing whatever I can to prepare for realities. Also, in general I’d love to speak to you about possibly linking us up for a job opportunity? Just some networking. I hear lots of people whom have been teaching in China for some years say that we should only take 25k minimum and we would love that, but after speaking to people on Reddit and speaking to recruiters, it seems that is not attainable for a beginner, I’ve had recruiters tell me I’ll start at 18k most likely which is fine but obviously it depends on what city we end up in. Would love to chat about this somehow :)! Thanks!
You are correct about all of that. with no experience, they will try to pay you 15-25. I just recommend staying away from Shanghai as a beginner, as the cost of living is higher. Even if you get 18 you can live well you just wont be saving tons. once you get a couple years experience you can easily get 25-35. check out the video I did on finding a job in china. use sites like e-china cities and others I mentioned to talk and get contacts. Unfortunately all my contacts that are looking for teachers require past experience. My first few years working in china I made 12k then 15k but the learning experience at different training centres really helped me learn to teacher even more so then my bachelors of education.
Subjects other than English get paid more than English Teachers. Physics, math and chemistry all are typically higher salaries. Economics is probably the best chance for top salaries.
Ok, yes, I forgot to mention the specialty positions. If you have a master's degree in a top field like Physics, Math, Chemistry, Biology, Economics, or Computer science, there are jobs in high schools that pay even better. I've seen jobs anywhere from 35k-45k and even a couple university jobs that pay 50; however, it's not the average listings for positions. I personally have never even met anyone working in one of those positions. There are also positions like IELTS examiner, and I've met a few people who do that.
I just finished up an interview for a kindergarten job in Guangzhou in Baiyun or Zengchen district. It seems like the starting salary for someone with no experience was around 17,000 - 22,000 RMB a month. I have seen so much conflicting information about this being too little for someone new to ESL or a good amount. I see you think anything less than 25,000 is unacceptable, do you reckon this also applied to me who has 0 experience? (I hold a degree, TEFL Cert, and am a white dude from New Zealand if that matters lol) - Thanks for any input man
The rate they are telling you is correct for people with no experience unless they hold a bachelor of education. Once you have a couple years of teaching experience from a school that has a name, then you can demand a higher salary, but it's really about your resume. Schools also tend to want people from the USA, Canada or the UK. I've heard of schools offering new people from South Africa 10k-17k because they know the situation in their country is not the best. Finally, a salary can be a game of chess. if you wait to sign until the end of December, when it's getting closer to the Chinese New Year and the start of a new semester, some schools may get desperate and start to pay a little more. Good look, job hunting.
Hey, thanks for the video! I have a few quick questions. Hypothetically, if the salary is 30,000, is that amount before or after taxes? I've heard taxes in China can be pretty high. Also, I noticed you mentioned being able to save between 10-20k while covering apartment costs, which seems like a significant portion of the salary, super impressive bro. Is it common for jobs to include an apartment and still offer a salary around 30,000? For context, I have a bachelor's degree from a decent U.S. university and recently completed my TEFL certification. I worked in finance in New York City for six years but decided to make a life change. I'm mainly looking for opportunities in Guangzhou. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again man
The amount is before taxes. So, China has a progressive tax rate. My first paycheck of the year gets 0 tax. my second gets 10%, and by October, I'm getting taxed 25% until the new year starts again. you can google "chinese income tax". If you have no experience teaching english in China and do not have a bachelor of education, you will probably get offers from 18k-25k, but many of those jobs still offer an apartment. After a couple years of experience, you can shop around and find the good jobs that offer 28k-32k. All jobs also have different benefits like different insurance plans, year-end bonuses, yearly flight reimbursements, etc. If you have a finance degree, there are jobs at universities and high schools that offer 25k-60k depending on your degree/school/experience, so I suggest looking around for more options than just teaching english.
Hi Collys, thank you for the detailed information. You hve gained yourself a subscriber. Please I have my bachelor degree and I'm planning to register forTEFL. Do I need to submit my first degree transcript when applying to teach in China?Thank you.
If you teach english, you must be from a native country. If you are teaching a subject, then no. You will need to notarize your degree, authenticate it at your local Chinese consulate, and have it officially translated. Everything must be original copies. Make sure the TEFL certificate is a minimum of 120 hours.
Great video! I was wondering if you could give me some advice on what you would do if you were in my situation knowing what you have experienced. I am planning on going to China next year to teach for at least 2-3 years. I am 23 from South Africa and I am going with my girlfriend (22). My girlfriend has a bachelor's degree, and I will at the end of the year have a Physiology and Psychology degree, a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management and an Honours degree in Psychology. English is our second language, but we are still proficient English speakers considering it is what we use as our study language. There seems to be mixed opinions about the best way to apply for jobs and what we can realistically expect in terms of salary. I am currently busy with a 250-hour TEFL course and my girlfriend a 150-hour TFL course. Any info would help us a lot. Thanks!
So all that matters is the TEFL certificate and the fact you have a bachelor's degree. The only downside is the influx of South Africans in China, along with the South African accent, has brought the pay for South Africans way down. The schools in China know the situation could be better over there, and I see job postings asking for South Africans at certain schools because they only want to pay 10k-15k RMB a month. Some people say that they are discriminating, and that is what they offer blacks, but I have no experience. I only currently know a handful of South Africans here, and they are making the standard wage however, they also have years of experience and are proficient in english. Check the video I did about finding a job in China for some help on places to look, but keep in mind if you get involved with agents, they might not offer you the best deals. If you could talk directly to a school you would be better off.
@@teedee1170 You mean my place to live? No, my job does not include a place to live, but I own a place close to my work. Many jobs include a place or extra for rental costs, but many also do not.
It's not any more difficult than back home. In fact, if you put down 30%, the mortgage rate is less than rent, whereas back home, my mortgage would have been double or triple what I pay for the same price property. Having a chinese spouse does make things a bit more simple, but there are also a lot more things chinese need to register when buying a property that foreigners dont. At the end of the day money talks.
Hey, man! Many, many thanks for the video, I found it very informative and helpful. Since I saw you tend to reply to most of the comments, I'll also explain my situation if you don't mind: I'm a 22-year-old Spanish guy. Unfortunately, as you mentioned earlier, there's less and less job offers for non-native English speakers and, specially, those who are in their 20s (so yeah, that's pretty much me), but I'm still interested in travelling to China for many reasons, and the thing is that I'm precisely a teacher (music teacher). I have a Pedagogy degree from the Royal Higher Conservatory of Music of Madrid, and already have 3 years of teaching experience (in private academies, public schools, conservatories, and a few others). I'm also thinking of getting the TEFL certificate in a few months. Would it be a good idea to even think of traveling to China? Would it be worth, and would I have any chance of having a salary as good as yours? Again, many thanks for your time and dedication on this matter. Have a nice one✌
So, being a non-native speaker doesn't mean you can't teach; it means you can't teach English. If you are a music major with two years of experience teaching music, you could find a music teaching job at a middle or high school. As for the TEFL, I'm not sure if that voids the two years of experience in the case of a music teacher, so I would ask the TEFL course that question or the Chinese consulate. As long as you have a working visa your salary will be good. I suggest getting all your documents certified and notarized. saving up a bit of money then taking the trip over to see what its like over here. August is the best time of year to find work going into the new school year. I will make a video on websites for jobs in china eventually. Lastly there is a Spanish speaking community over here from many different countries and you could meet a few people and ask them their experience.
Since last year, foreign language training institutions in China have begun mass layoffs. Second, China's high school teachers are about to face mass layoffs because the birth population has fallen to 40 percent. To sum up, I don't recommend you to be a teacher in China
@@625as-pj5mg Population in many countries has dropped, and we are seeing the ripple effects of COVID and the current economy. At the same time, there are still tons of job postings and opportunities. There will always be wealthy people that want to pay to have their kids learn english from native speakers.
@@collyslifeadventureinchina Last year, four colleagues came from the education and training industry, and they worked as foreign trade salesmen. In addition, there are few personal training in China, and most of them are sent to training institutions
I assume it's a bachelor's degree. The course would need to be a 120-hour one, so be careful because some companies sell only the 100-hour course, but getting it online is ok. The Final thing would be whether you are a passport holder from a native-speaking country. If you check all of those boxes then yes.
I have to cover them with a long sleeve shirt; however, I am at the only school that has ever made me cover them. most schools won't make you cover up, and many of my kid's parents have tattoos, also.
We have all the Chinese holidays; you can google them to see which ones. We have three weeks for the Chinese New Year and three weeks for summer. For me, it's good enough as my workload throughout the year isn't hectic. There are other schools that get 7 weeks in the summer, 1 month for Chinese New Year, and two weeks at Christmas, but they also have a lot more weekly work. I'm happy with my situation at this point in life, but when my kid gets to primary age, I might think about changing.
So it depends on what you are looking for personally. Kindergartens seem to have less overall work and a relaxed environment. The main thing when working at a kindergarten is that you should have the energy to be goofy or act like a WWE superstar and have patience while working with young kids. Kindergartens also usually allow your kids to attend for a really good price. International schools tend to pay just a little more but you have more meetings, more overall work, better benefits and longer holidays.
@@collyslifeadventureinchina I really appreciate the response thank you. I’m from the UK - Due to teach Kindy in South Korea next month. But I’m really starting to question why? The benefits in China and treatment of teachers are just far better doing the same job. Keep up the vids man !
@@nbh4334 Teachers can get treated like shit in China but from my understanding is they work you harder and you can save less in Korea and Japan and in Thailand and Vietnam you dont make a salary anywhere close to China.
Depends on your credentials. If you have a teaching degree, then it's easier for you to find a job at an international school. If you just have a bachelor degree and experience/Tefl and you want to work in a kindergarten, it could be challenging, but it's not impossible.
I heard now you need teaching degree, not just any other unrelated degree. I see some high qualified teachers from India, philippine or Russia. Maybe some school like hiring native speakers for personal reason, but it's not required official law.
It is official law. You can only get a work visa to teach English if you are from a native-speaking country as its. a Visa requirement.. It's not true that you need a teaching degree. I have one, but many of the people I know who teach here just have a regular BA. People from other countries can still teach subjects with relevant degrees just not English.
@@collyslifeadventureinchinai’m currently studying for a bachelor’s degree in english education in shanghai, may i ask if it would be still possible to teach english in china as a moroccan person?
@@younesarts2167 Sorry, no. To get a work visa to teach english, you must be from the UK, Canada, USA, Australia, Ireland, South Africa or New Zealand. ontop of the degree.
So, with your education, you would find a role in a few places. Kindergarten if you like young children and have the energy to deal with them. I personally love the kindergarten level. Primary or high school if you prefer to stand in front of a screen and talk. University if you want fewer classes and half the pay but a lot more free time to explore China. As for the city, I recommend a tier 1. Guangzhou or Shenzhen, if you can handle the weather in the summer, it will feel like 40 degrees, and you will like the tropics. Shanghai is the most universal and feels the most advanced and western, in my opinion. I am personally not a huge fan of Beijing but it could be a good place to travel. These cities also have the highest cost of living, so if you are looking to save money, you could find a contract that pays the same but is in a smaller city. By smaller, I still mean millions of people but fewer things to do. It depends on what you want out of your China experience. Saving money, learn the culture, learn the language, travel, etc.
@@collyslifeadventureinchina Thank you so much for taking the time to give a detailed response. So Grateful I wish you every success and hope the visa process is smooth from the UK so I can hopefully move in couple months. Thank you :)
@@collyslifeadventureinchina I'm hoping to explore a new world as someone who is naturally open minded and friendly. Living in The west is a lot. I desire change and hopefully to save money too whilst still experience a good quality. I'm pretty simple and a frugal person. I am easily content etc a walk in the park is my luxurious to more than a handbag
Hello, if you are interested in finding a teaching job in China, I can guide and help you find one. If you're really interested, I will send you my email.
Hello! Thank you for sharing this info. Is there a way I can communicate with you by email? I have some questions and maybe you can help me. Thank you!
Hi I'm thinking of going to Beijing and I would like to work in a kindergarten setting. I got no degree I got a tefl certificate and I'm doing a teaching assistant level 3 in the UK What do I need to do to get into the education setting and preference kindergarten, what do I need to do Thank you
Sorry, but to get a working visa, you need a bachelor's degree at least. From my experience, 2015-2019 had a ton of people with no degrees working illegally, but the government has gotten a lot stricter, and that is also a reason you see a lot fewer foreigners here. The people who really wanted to stay in China got certified most left.
Give up! China closed 15,000 kindergartens last year and will continue to do so at an accelerated pace this year. The reason is that there are not so many young children
Chinese income tax is progressional so it depends how much you have made so far in the year. My first month of work is next to nothing. 30k or less 5%, 30k-90k 10%, 90k-300k 20%, 300k up 30%
Even out of the country, I must file my taxes yearly; however, I have never had to pay taxes. From what I understand, you need to make a very large amount abroad before Canada also requires you to pay taxes. The income tax I pay is for China. However, things always change, so we will see come next tax season. I do not get any benefits of living in Canada so there would be no reason for them to tax my income.
My current school is the first school I've had to cover them. Most of my friends at private kindergartens don't need to cover theirs. If you work at an international school, they might have a dress code, but it depends on a per-school basis.
Ok that's good to know thank you. I have an interview with a Kindergarten in Guiyang would you say 18k to 21k is reasonable for that area? @collyslifeadventureinchina
@@AcceberKrap It is a Tier 2 city, not a Tier 1 or new Tier 1, so yes, around that if it includes an apartment. Also depends on your past experience. I am more familiar with Tier 1 cities and some new tier 1's so id say ask around.
I make long-form content. There was also a lot of information I needed to get across. For people actually interested in teaching in China, it's good info, and rushing it wouldn't explain the why.
I am 35. When I first came to China, I was 26. I'd say the average age of teachers in China now is 30's-40's, unlike when I first came. You saw a lot of people in their 20s.
I have friends living in Jersey, and I have visited it. Can't even compare the two. The crime in Jersey sucks, and the living conditions are not all that great unless you come from money. I save a lot more money monthly in Guangzhou than most people working in New Jersey. You should take a trip over to China, and you will see that you have no clue. Patriotism is one thing, but ignorance is another.
@@collyslifeadventureinchina you can not speak bad about China, I understand that. One day you will realize, you have no freedom in China. I wish you the best & be safe 🇺🇸👍
@@TomSantinoCorleone , There are positives and negatives in most countries. I have the freedom to do pretty much anything I want. I feel more free in China than in Canada. I could move to a handful of countries any time I like. Until you've actually spent time here, you don't really understand. You only know what you experience.
@@collyslifeadventureinchina Can you make a RUclips video, about some of the things wrong with China & its government,? I know you won’t though, you will be in big trouble, if you talk out against the government. That is not a free & respectable country. please be safe brother
, I won't because I am not a political channel. If I were in America and made a video about the things wrong with the country and its leaders, what good would it do as well? If any immigrant is going to complain about the country, then maybe they should return to their own country. I'll give up the ability to talk politically about a country to, in return, live in a place where my wife and children can walk down the street by themselves at any time of day or night, have a better cost of living, less overall crime, and be next to addicts running around. But once again, you need to have lived in multiple countries to understand.
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
thank you so much for this! I just traveled SE Asia for a year and came back to the USA and the situation here is looking pretty bleak. I just bought my TEFL course and China has been at the top of my list since I didn't make it during my travels. THis really gives me hope as a backup option and something to strive towards =D
Glad I could help. Check out my other videos that give more info on teaching here.
Really appreciate the passion and the information here. After 3 years in corporate, a move from the US to the U.K, and a dynamic shift, I’ll be moving to China to teach as well! I worked with kids for a few years in my college and high school days and I’ve always known my passion is in that field. Ready to be that WWE star again like I was in ski instructing. Just letting kids learn and have a good time! Thanks so much
You have a great attitude for a kindergarten teacher, it suits you very well.
I really appreciate you making this video, it is extremely helpful to me.
One of the reasons I make more than just vlogs is to help and inform people.
Hi, just found your Video and what you said in this video was word for word me back in 2015 when i went to work at a (huge) Private Kindergarten in Shunde - near Foshun in Guangzhou. At that time i was only on 11,000 RMB and was sending most of my money home to save my bills sadly -but still had a great life in China. I have a bachelor of Education and ESOL cert and at that time 10 years teaching. im still in touch with a few of my foreign teacher friends from there and my only wish was i got more money like what you are getting now - then i migh have stayed longer. I loved my time in China. oh im from New Zealand.
Thank You for teaching in China!
I may return to teach in Canada one day in my 40s, but the Canadian education system needs to change.
@collyslifeadventureinchina Too bad, as a Canadian living in Canada now, if you come back to teach then you must embrace those crazy gender ideologies being propagated by the Left now.
Thank you for your video.👍
No problem just trying to inform and be helpful.
Thanks for the info! So if I'm understanding it correctly, would you say the average kindy teacher job in China has about 5-6 weeks off per year (new year and summer combined)?
The word average isn't a good one to use. If you are at a private kindergarten, then probably 2-3 weeks for CNY and 2-3 weeks for Summer. You also get all the national Chinese holidays. You get full pay for national holidays, and for other days off, it's usually a percentage. CNY is full for me, but summer is 60% of my salary if I remember correctly. So schools also get a week or two at Christmas. Now, if you are at an international school, you get a ton more time off, usually 1 month at CNY and 1-2 months during summer, plus 1-2 weeks at Christmas and all Chinese holidays.
My girlfriend and I are going to earn our Bachelors degrees and our TEFL just some months from now and we plan to come teach in China. I’m from the US and she is from the UK. We are excited but also a bit daunted and I know that salaries are down a bit after Covid, but do you think us having a combined income will help significantly? Not sure if it’s going to even out or not. My math says we’ll be living great but I’m doing whatever I can to prepare for realities.
Also, in general I’d love to speak to you about possibly linking us up for a job opportunity? Just some networking. I hear lots of people whom have been teaching in China for some years say that we should only take 25k minimum and we would love that, but after speaking to people on Reddit and speaking to recruiters, it seems that is not attainable for a beginner, I’ve had recruiters tell me I’ll start at 18k most likely which is fine but obviously it depends on what city we end up in.
Would love to chat about this somehow :)!
Thanks!
You are correct about all of that. with no experience, they will try to pay you 15-25. I just recommend staying away from Shanghai as a beginner, as the cost of living is higher. Even if you get 18 you can live well you just wont be saving tons. once you get a couple years experience you can easily get 25-35. check out the video I did on finding a job in china. use sites like e-china cities and others I mentioned to talk and get contacts. Unfortunately all my contacts that are looking for teachers require past experience. My first few years working in china I made 12k then 15k but the learning experience at different training centres really helped me learn to teacher even more so then my bachelors of education.
Thanks for the info :)
Subjects other than English get paid more than English Teachers. Physics, math and chemistry all are typically higher salaries. Economics is probably the best chance for top salaries.
Ok, yes, I forgot to mention the specialty positions. If you have a master's degree in a top field like Physics, Math, Chemistry, Biology, Economics, or Computer science, there are jobs in high schools that pay even better. I've seen jobs anywhere from 35k-45k and even a couple university jobs that pay 50; however, it's not the average listings for positions. I personally have never even met anyone working in one of those positions. There are also positions like IELTS examiner, and I've met a few people who do that.
I just finished up an interview for a kindergarten job in Guangzhou in Baiyun or Zengchen district. It seems like the starting salary for someone with no experience was around 17,000 - 22,000 RMB a month. I have seen so much conflicting information about this being too little for someone new to ESL or a good amount. I see you think anything less than 25,000 is unacceptable, do you reckon this also applied to me who has 0 experience? (I hold a degree, TEFL Cert, and am a white dude from New Zealand if that matters lol) - Thanks for any input man
The rate they are telling you is correct for people with no experience unless they hold a bachelor of education. Once you have a couple years of teaching experience from a school that has a name, then you can demand a higher salary, but it's really about your resume. Schools also tend to want people from the USA, Canada or the UK. I've heard of schools offering new people from South Africa 10k-17k because they know the situation in their country is not the best. Finally, a salary can be a game of chess. if you wait to sign until the end of December, when it's getting closer to the Chinese New Year and the start of a new semester, some schools may get desperate and start to pay a little more. Good look, job hunting.
@@collyslifeadventureinchina Great to finally hear some solid information, I'll keep this in mind for the next few interviews. Cheers.
Hey, thanks for the video! I have a few quick questions. Hypothetically, if the salary is 30,000, is that amount before or after taxes? I've heard taxes in China can be pretty high. Also, I noticed you mentioned being able to save between 10-20k while covering apartment costs, which seems like a significant portion of the salary, super impressive bro.
Is it common for jobs to include an apartment and still offer a salary around 30,000?
For context, I have a bachelor's degree from a decent U.S. university and recently completed my TEFL certification. I worked in finance in New York City for six years but decided to make a life change. I'm mainly looking for opportunities in Guangzhou. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again man
The amount is before taxes. So, China has a progressive tax rate. My first paycheck of the year gets 0 tax. my second gets 10%, and by October, I'm getting taxed 25% until the new year starts again. you can google "chinese income tax". If you have no experience teaching english in China and do not have a bachelor of education, you will probably get offers from 18k-25k, but many of those jobs still offer an apartment. After a couple years of experience, you can shop around and find the good jobs that offer 28k-32k. All jobs also have different benefits like different insurance plans, year-end bonuses, yearly flight reimbursements, etc. If you have a finance degree, there are jobs at universities and high schools that offer 25k-60k depending on your degree/school/experience, so I suggest looking around for more options than just teaching english.
@@collyslifeadventureinchina hey thanks a lot man, I really appreciate it. And congratulations on the baby girl!
Hi Collys, thank you for the detailed information. You hve gained yourself a subscriber. Please I have my bachelor degree and I'm planning to register forTEFL.
Do I need to submit my first degree transcript when applying to teach in China?Thank you.
If you teach english, you must be from a native country. If you are teaching a subject, then no. You will need to notarize your degree, authenticate it at your local Chinese consulate, and have it officially translated. Everything must be original copies. Make sure the TEFL certificate is a minimum of 120 hours.
It's alright, thank you.
Great video! I was wondering if you could give me some advice on what you would do if you were in my situation knowing what you have experienced. I am planning on going to China next year to teach for at least 2-3 years. I am 23 from South Africa and I am going with my girlfriend (22). My girlfriend has a bachelor's degree, and I will at the end of the year have a Physiology and Psychology degree, a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management and an Honours degree in Psychology. English is our second language, but we are still proficient English speakers considering it is what we use as our study language. There seems to be mixed opinions about the best way to apply for jobs and what we can realistically expect in terms of salary. I am currently busy with a 250-hour TEFL course and my girlfriend a 150-hour TFL course. Any info would help us a lot. Thanks!
So all that matters is the TEFL certificate and the fact you have a bachelor's degree. The only downside is the influx of South Africans in China, along with the South African accent, has brought the pay for South Africans way down. The schools in China know the situation could be better over there, and I see job postings asking for South Africans at certain schools because they only want to pay 10k-15k RMB a month. Some people say that they are discriminating, and that is what they offer blacks, but I have no experience. I only currently know a handful of South Africans here, and they are making the standard wage however, they also have years of experience and are proficient in english. Check the video I did about finding a job in China for some help on places to look, but keep in mind if you get involved with agents, they might not offer you the best deals. If you could talk directly to a school you would be better off.
@@collyslifeadventureinchinathank you for the advice. It really helps a lot!
What about accommodation? Do you have to pay for it?
@@teedee1170 You mean my place to live? No, my job does not include a place to live, but I own a place close to my work. Many jobs include a place or extra for rental costs, but many also do not.
@@collyslifeadventureinchina your videos are very informative - thank you🙌
I am currently considering an English teaching job in China now. Thank you for this information. How difficult was it to buy your home there in China?
It's not any more difficult than back home. In fact, if you put down 30%, the mortgage rate is less than rent, whereas back home, my mortgage would have been double or triple what I pay for the same price property. Having a chinese spouse does make things a bit more simple, but there are also a lot more things chinese need to register when buying a property that foreigners dont. At the end of the day money talks.
Hey, man! Many, many thanks for the video, I found it very informative and helpful. Since I saw you tend to reply to most of the comments, I'll also explain my situation if you don't mind:
I'm a 22-year-old Spanish guy. Unfortunately, as you mentioned earlier, there's less and less job offers for non-native English speakers and, specially, those who are in their 20s (so yeah, that's pretty much me), but I'm still interested in travelling to China for many reasons, and the thing is that I'm precisely a teacher (music teacher). I have a Pedagogy degree from the Royal Higher Conservatory of Music of Madrid, and already have 3 years of teaching experience (in private academies, public schools, conservatories, and a few others). I'm also thinking of getting the TEFL certificate in a few months.
Would it be a good idea to even think of traveling to China? Would it be worth, and would I have any chance of having a salary as good as yours?
Again, many thanks for your time and dedication on this matter. Have a nice one✌
So, being a non-native speaker doesn't mean you can't teach; it means you can't teach English. If you are a music major with two years of experience teaching music, you could find a music teaching job at a middle or high school. As for the TEFL, I'm not sure if that voids the two years of experience in the case of a music teacher, so I would ask the TEFL course that question or the Chinese consulate. As long as you have a working visa your salary will be good. I suggest getting all your documents certified and notarized. saving up a bit of money then taking the trip over to see what its like over here. August is the best time of year to find work going into the new school year. I will make a video on websites for jobs in china eventually. Lastly there is a Spanish speaking community over here from many different countries and you could meet a few people and ask them their experience.
many people are learning spanish now in china, i know a lot night schools or corner for people to learn spanish. Try shanghai.
Since last year, foreign language training institutions in China have begun mass layoffs. Second, China's high school teachers are about to face mass layoffs because the birth population has fallen to 40 percent. To sum up, I don't recommend you to be a teacher in China
@@625as-pj5mg Population in many countries has dropped, and we are seeing the ripple effects of COVID and the current economy. At the same time, there are still tons of job postings and opportunities. There will always be wealthy people that want to pay to have their kids learn english from native speakers.
@@collyslifeadventureinchina Last year, four colleagues came from the education and training industry, and they worked as foreign trade salesmen. In addition, there are few personal training in China, and most of them are sent to training institutions
GZ is a good place to be - enjoy!
I do enjoy Guangzhou.
How do modern Chinse classrooms operate at a high school/middle school level,
are the students using laptops?
2nd year english lit degree would l get accepted got tefl taught on online platform
I assume it's a bachelor's degree. The course would need to be a 120-hour one, so be careful because some companies sell only the 100-hour course, but getting it online is ok. The Final thing would be whether you are a passport holder from a native-speaking country. If you check all of those boxes then yes.
@@collyslifeadventureinchina brit
@@annbligs894 Then. You should be fine. Check out the video I did on how to find a job in China. It will give you a bunch of sites you can look at.
You had any negative comments about the tattoos, I want to come and teach but have tattoos. What do schools say about them ? Cheers
I have to cover them with a long sleeve shirt; however, I am at the only school that has ever made me cover them. most schools won't make you cover up, and many of my kid's parents have tattoos, also.
Is accommodation included in your package?
What holidays do you get at the school? I mean like how many days holiday?
We have all the Chinese holidays; you can google them to see which ones. We have three weeks for the Chinese New Year and three weeks for summer. For me, it's good enough as my workload throughout the year isn't hectic. There are other schools that get 7 weeks in the summer, 1 month for Chinese New Year, and two weeks at Christmas, but they also have a lot more weekly work. I'm happy with my situation at this point in life, but when my kid gets to primary age, I might think about changing.
This is an awesome guide thanks man.
Would you recommend working at an International school or Kindy?
Which is preferred in your opinion
So it depends on what you are looking for personally. Kindergartens seem to have less overall work and a relaxed environment. The main thing when working at a kindergarten is that you should have the energy to be goofy or act like a WWE superstar and have patience while working with young kids. Kindergartens also usually allow your kids to attend for a really good price. International schools tend to pay just a little more but you have more meetings, more overall work, better benefits and longer holidays.
@@collyslifeadventureinchina I really appreciate the response thank you. I’m from the UK - Due to teach Kindy in South Korea next month. But I’m really starting to question why? The benefits in China and treatment of teachers are just far better doing the same job. Keep up the vids man !
@@nbh4334 Teachers can get treated like shit in China but from my understanding is they work you harder and you can save less in Korea and Japan and in Thailand and Vietnam you dont make a salary anywhere close to China.
Hi, do you have to be white or another race other than asian?
I'm asian-Canadian would it be easy for me to get a job teaching in Guangzhou?
Thanks.
Depends on your credentials. If you have a teaching degree, then it's easier for you to find a job at an international school. If you just have a bachelor degree and experience/Tefl and you want to work in a kindergarten, it could be challenging, but it's not impossible.
I heard now you need teaching degree, not just any other unrelated degree. I see some high qualified teachers from India, philippine or Russia. Maybe some school like hiring native speakers for personal reason, but it's not required official law.
It is official law. You can only get a work visa to teach English if you are from a native-speaking country as its. a Visa requirement.. It's not true that you need a teaching degree. I have one, but many of the people I know who teach here just have a regular BA. People from other countries can still teach subjects with relevant degrees just not English.
@@collyslifeadventureinchinai’m currently studying for a bachelor’s degree in english education in shanghai, may i ask if it would be still possible to teach english in china as a moroccan person?
@@younesarts2167 Sorry, no. To get a work visa to teach english, you must be from the UK, Canada, USA, Australia, Ireland, South Africa or New Zealand. ontop of the degree.
what city / role do you recommend please. From UK thank you. Bachelors in Education & Sociology - 5 year combined teaching experience Also a singer :)
So, with your education, you would find a role in a few places. Kindergarten if you like young children and have the energy to deal with them. I personally love the kindergarten level. Primary or high school if you prefer to stand in front of a screen and talk. University if you want fewer classes and half the pay but a lot more free time to explore China. As for the city, I recommend a tier 1. Guangzhou or Shenzhen, if you can handle the weather in the summer, it will feel like 40 degrees, and you will like the tropics. Shanghai is the most universal and feels the most advanced and western, in my opinion. I am personally not a huge fan of Beijing but it could be a good place to travel. These cities also have the highest cost of living, so if you are looking to save money, you could find a contract that pays the same but is in a smaller city. By smaller, I still mean millions of people but fewer things to do. It depends on what you want out of your China experience. Saving money, learn the culture, learn the language, travel, etc.
@@collyslifeadventureinchina Thank you so much for taking the time to give a detailed response. So Grateful I wish you every success and hope the visa process is smooth from the UK so I can hopefully move in couple months. Thank you :)
@@collyslifeadventureinchina I'm hoping to explore a new world as someone who is naturally open minded and friendly. Living in The west is a lot. I desire change and hopefully to save money too whilst still experience a good quality. I'm pretty simple and a frugal person. I am easily content etc a walk in the park is my luxurious to more than a handbag
Hello, if you are interested in finding a teaching job in China, I can guide and help you find one. If you're really interested, I will send you my email.
@@Crystal_Queen3962 I've already done a video on finding a teaching job.
Nice top broski
Hello! Thank you for sharing this info. Is there a way I can communicate with you by email? I have some questions and maybe you can help me. Thank you!
My contact email is listed in the description
@@collyslifeadventureinchina I can’t find it 🫣 But, I am following you now on Instagram🤗
Hi I'm thinking of going to Beijing and I would like to work in a kindergarten setting.
I got no degree I got a tefl certificate and I'm doing a teaching assistant level 3 in the UK
What do I need to do to get into the education setting and preference kindergarten, what do I need to do
Thank you
Sorry, but to get a working visa, you need a bachelor's degree at least. From my experience, 2015-2019 had a ton of people with no degrees working illegally, but the government has gotten a lot stricter, and that is also a reason you see a lot fewer foreigners here. The people who really wanted to stay in China got certified most left.
Give up! China closed 15,000 kindergartens last year and will continue to do so at an accelerated pace this year. The reason is that there are not so many young children
hi there how much tax do you pay on your salary?
Chinese income tax is progressional so it depends how much you have made so far in the year. My first month of work is next to nothing. 30k or less 5%, 30k-90k 10%, 90k-300k 20%, 300k up 30%
@@collyslifeadventureinchina got it... cheers!
Are you paying income tax for Canada?
Even out of the country, I must file my taxes yearly; however, I have never had to pay taxes. From what I understand, you need to make a very large amount abroad before Canada also requires you to pay taxes. The income tax I pay is for China. However, things always change, so we will see come next tax season. I do not get any benefits of living in Canada so there would be no reason for them to tax my income.
Ah, this information you replied back is good. Thanks. I might think about spending a few years working back home in rural Guangzhou.
Do you need to cover your tattoos or do they not care?
My current school is the first school I've had to cover them. Most of my friends at private kindergartens don't need to cover theirs. If you work at an international school, they might have a dress code, but it depends on a per-school basis.
Ok that's good to know thank you. I have an interview with a Kindergarten in Guiyang would you say 18k to 21k is reasonable for that area? @collyslifeadventureinchina
@@AcceberKrap It is a Tier 2 city, not a Tier 1 or new Tier 1, so yes, around that if it includes an apartment. Also depends on your past experience. I am more familiar with Tier 1 cities and some new tier 1's so id say ask around.
Thank you so much 😀
One more thing, I'm aware of the Tier 1 city, but what are some of the cities considered new Tier 1?
Get me a job
Qualifications and from what country do you hold a passport?
plz make a video to the point and short ans not tooo long
I make long-form content. There was also a lot of information I needed to get across. For people actually interested in teaching in China, it's good info, and rushing it wouldn't explain the why.
Hi how old are you
I am 35. When I first came to China, I was 26. I'd say the average age of teachers in China now is 30's-40's, unlike when I first came. You saw a lot of people in their 20s.
@@collyslifeadventureinchina Thanks for the reply, I move from UK to Chengdu next month to work at a Kindergarten so this video was very informative
@@elliotcarpenter9404i'm also british searching how did you go about it please ?
Do they hire all year long?
@@christianlarge3487 The biggest hiring time is before September but there a tons of schools hiring all year long.
New Jersey, USA 🇺🇸 is much better. 🇺🇸
I have friends living in Jersey, and I have visited it. Can't even compare the two. The crime in Jersey sucks, and the living conditions are not all that great unless you come from money. I save a lot more money monthly in Guangzhou than most people working in New Jersey. You should take a trip over to China, and you will see that you have no clue. Patriotism is one thing, but ignorance is another.
@@collyslifeadventureinchina you can not speak bad about China, I understand that.
One day you will realize, you have no freedom in China.
I wish you the best & be safe 🇺🇸👍
@@TomSantinoCorleone , There are positives and negatives in most countries. I have the freedom to do pretty much anything I want. I feel more free in China than in Canada. I could move to a handful of countries any time I like. Until you've actually spent time here, you don't really understand. You only know what you experience.
@@collyslifeadventureinchina
Can you make a RUclips video, about some of the things wrong with China & its government,?
I know you won’t though, you will be in big trouble, if you talk out against the government.
That is not a free & respectable country.
please be safe brother
, I won't because I am not a political channel. If I were in America and made a video about the things wrong with the country and its leaders, what good would it do as well? If any immigrant is going to complain about the country, then maybe they should return to their own country. I'll give up the ability to talk politically about a country to, in return, live in a place where my wife and children can walk down the street by themselves at any time of day or night, have a better cost of living, less overall crime, and be next to addicts running around. But once again, you need to have lived in multiple countries to understand.